RELOCATING the 153-year-old Willards Farm house from Birkdale to Cleveland would not be possible until after a ruling from the Queensland Heritage Council, due next week.
The fate of the homestead was raised at a public meeting last month between developers, the owner, council officials and residents at the Birkdale School of Arts Hall.
During the meeting, a resident suggested relocating the homestead to the Old Schoolhouse Gallery at Cleveland, which is known as a heritage precinct.
Birkdale councillor Paul Bishop told the crowd the owner and developer supported the idea but talk of demolition, relocation or removal was premature until the Heritage Council make its finding on September 8.
Birkdale Progress Association applied to the State Heritage Register for the property to be listed as a heritage site.
The Queensland Heritage Council will determine the fate of the 1hectare site which includes the homestead, slab huts, dairy and shearing sheds, creamery and pine trees believed to be more than 100 years old.
The house and land was once a vast 100 hectare estate, until General Douglas MacArthur claimed the majority of the land for radio surveillance during world War II.
The property’s former owner, Nance Cotton, received the original telegram sent by General MacArthur signalling the end of the war in the Pacific, which occurred 70 years ago last month.
It is understood local enigma Anne Porter, known as the goat lady, was granted a 99-year lease from the federal government to agist cattle and live at the property which The Cottons were asked to sell to the Post Master General’s Office after the war.